


New Threads

by shslducktective



Series: Salmon Fishing [2]
Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Awkwardness, Dialogue Heavy, F/F, Friendship, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Swearing, kokichi is mentioned, miu is mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 17:22:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13128231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shslducktective/pseuds/shslducktective
Summary: What does the Ultimate Assassin do when her bra strap breaks in the middle of the night? She goes to Kirumi Tojo to fix it, of course.(a sequel to Behind Closed Doors. you don't have to read Behind Closed Doors to understand this fic, but it's highly advised.)





	New Threads

**Author's Note:**

> i've been slowly writing this for over a month. i'm so glad it's finally complete! this is the best drv3 rarepair and it deserves more content. hope you enjoy!

 Throughout the course of her life, Maki had done many things that no ordinary person could handle the thought of doing. She had sold herself to cult leaders as a child, undergone brutal conditioning and torture, murdered a friend from her class, killed dozens of men in cold blood, and watched dozens more die under various circumstances. At first, her classmates believed her lie — believed that she was really the Ultimate Child Caregiver, but she couldn't keep up the act for long. By now, everyone knew that Maki Harukawa, the Ultimate Assassin, was no babysitter or nanny. Some of her classmates feared her and avoided her at all costs, some were apprehensive but still treated her more or less the same, and a small few acted as if there was no difference between Maki the assassin and Maki the child caregiver. Kaito even patronized her sometimes, which got on her nerves, but she supposed it was his way of trying to help.

 However, contrary to popular belief, there were still things that terrified Maki even after the brutalities in which she had partaken. Things that caused her skin to freeze and her heartbeat to race and her cheeks to flush. Things that spun pools of nausea in her stomach and wormholes of internal conflict in her mind. Things that made her chest feel like an arrow had been speared straight through its center.

 Apparently, knocking on Kirumi Tojo’s bedroom door past midnight was one of those things.

 It was nearly one in the morning. In a little over an hour, Shuichi and Kaito would be waiting for Maki in the courtyard. Soon after she and the other students had found themselves trapped in this ridiculous prison school, Kaito and Shuichi had taken to exercising in the courtyard at ridiculous hours of the night. Once the truth of Maki's talent had been revealed, Kaito had insisted on Maki joining their training squad. Apparently, he had also invited Kaede to join them, but she had politely declined.

 Maki was secretly grateful for Kaito and Shuichi's acceptance. Really, she was. No one had ever asked her to be part of a group like that, and having a couple of reliable friends was enough to bring a genuine smile to her face. But after finding out about the… definitely-not-exercise-related activities in which Kaito and Shuichi had been recently engaging… she found herself less eager to join them in training. Being a third wheel was always awkward regardless of the circumstance, and there was no denying that she had started to see Kaito as more-than-a-friend, even if he only ever treated her like a little sister. How could she begin to describe the way discovering he had been fucking Shuichi all along made her feel? Uncomfortable? Jealous? Uncomfortable and jealous? Upset that they had kept it a secret from her for who-knows-how-long? She had definitely felt flustered and downright mad when she walked in on their post-coital spooning about a week ago. Only a couple days later, they had publicly announced to their fellow students that they were an item, much to Maki's chagrin. Secretly, she had been hoping that they would at least confide in her before telling everyone else about their relationship. Well, at least Shuichi and Kaito both seemed happy, to say the least. Maybe being with harebrained Kaito was exactly what the overanxious detective needed to help him worry less and smile more. Maybe it was for the best. Not that the Ultimate Astronaut would ever be romantically interested in the Ultimate Assassin, anyway.

 Whatever. Maki wasn't the kind of person to back down from a challenge — especially a personal one, so she wasn't going to stop working out with Shuichi and Kaito just because they had been fucking behind her back. And regardless of their failure to be honest with her, she enjoyed their company more than she would ever like to admit. They would be waiting for her soon, so she didn't have time to stand around and think about her problems and distract herself from knocking on the damn door. If she didn't hurry, someone might see her standing outside the Ultimate Maid's bedroom door in the middle of the night and start spreading rumors, or so she thought. It wasn't hard for people's minds to run wild with thoughts of murderous intent when the Ultimate Assassin was involved, after all. She needed to get this over with.

 Hell, what was it with bedroom doors and crippling anxiety lately, anyway?

 Breathing deeply, Maki balled her hands into fists and knocked on the door. Her knuckles rapped against the door’s center plate, and she hissed at the noise. Idly, she wondered if the plates were made of aluminum or some other kind of metal. Either way, they seemed rather flimsy, and the blue paint covering the center plate was shoddy. It was somewhat ironic — the fact that the meticulous Ultimate Maid who never left a task unfinished was given a bedroom door with such an incomplete look and feel.

 It felt like a minute had passed. Maki lifted her eyes to Kirumi's pixelated likeness hanging above the door, but pixel Kirumi had no answer for the real Kirumi's whereabouts. The assassin sighed. She should've figured that the maid would be working at this hour, probably cleaning some area of the school that was usually busy during the day or preparing breakfast in advance.

 Maki lifted her fist to knock once more. If Kirumi didn't answer this time, she would just deal with the broken bra strap in the morning. It wasn't like Kaito and Shuichi would notice, anyway. Certainly not with the way they were always too busy staring at each other these days.

 Maki's knuckles were a second away from making contact with the door once again when said door suddenly opened. The assassin inhaled sharply and stepped backwards. All she could do was try as hard as she could to will her cheeks not to flush. She was already nervous enough. She didn't need to look like a flustered schoolgirl caught with her hand in a cookie jar.

 Fortunately for the Ultimate Assassin, Kirumi Tojo appeared to be disinterested in Maki's general appearance when she opened the door. Her eyes were unfocused, as if she was staring at something far off in the distance, and her expression was blanker than usual. It was as if Maki wasn't even there at all.

 “Uh, hey. Kirumi. Sorry to bother you,” Maki finally willed herself to speak. Shit. Her cheeks were definitely heating up. Abort mission. Abort mission. Abort mission. “Are you busy with —”

 “No,” Kirumi interrupted Maki. “I have already finished my duties for the day, so there is nothing left on my schedule that is of any importance. Forgive my delayed response. I was waiting for you to request something of me.”

 “Oh. Well. That makes sense.”

 Very eloquent, Maki.

 “You do have a request for me, do you not? Or is there some other reason for knocking on my door so late?”

 If Maki’s reflexes weren't so controlled, she would've flinched. Kirumi wasn't displaying any signs of irritation, and her voice was completely detached, but her words implied some sort of irritation. Maybe she shouldn't have bothered coming in the first place.

 “Yeah, I have a request. But it's…” Maki shifted her gaze to the floor and tugged at her pigtails in embarrassment. “It’s not something I can say unless you let me in your room.”

 Kirumi pursed her lips together. If she was curious or confused or even slightly suspicious, she wasn't showing it. Instead, she simply backed up, making way for the assassin to enter.

 When the maid finally spoke, her voice betrayed no sign of apprehension at letting such a dangerous person into the privacy of her room. “I see,” she said. “You have my permission to enter, then.”

 If anyone should've been tentative, it was Kirumi. After all, she had just opened the door for the Ultimate Assassin to enter her private living quarters. The two of them would be completely alone in an enclosed space. If Maki had any intention of turning on the Ultimate Maid, it would be too easy for her to pull a weapon out from under her clothes and finish the job. Yet, Kirumi seemed entirely unafraid. Was this the sort of unreadable steel face a maid was expected to wear at all times? Or was Kirumi just that confident in her ability to defend herself?

 Once Maki had passed Kirumi, the maid shut the door and stood in front of it, turning to face the assassin. This blocked Maki’s access to the only exit, leaving no way for her to escape if she wanted. Not that she did. But this was ridiculous. What was Kirumi planning? Was she trying to assert her dominance?

 “So,” Kirumi began, “your request, Miss Harukawa?”

 Maki stared at the floor. “Oh. Right. Well, uh. My bra strap snapped earlier today when I took it off to shower, and I was hoping you could fix it.” Embarrassment set fire to the poor assassin's cheeks as she reached under her sailor blouse to pull out the bra that she had been concealing under her clothes.

 Kirumi nodded. “I see. May I?” she asked, gesturing to the bra.

 Maki gave a terse affirmative and handed her bra to the Ultimate Maid. The assassin's hands brushed Kirumi’s gloves during the exchange, and it made her feel even more vulnerable somehow. Even if Kirumi was wearing gloves, she was still going to be handling Maki’s bra as the latter stood there, forced to watch another girl fiddle with such an intimate undergarment as if it was no big deal.

 In contrast, Kirumi did not seem embarrassed in the slightest. With no sign of hesitation, she examined the bra thoroughly, identifying the cause of the broken strap. It was like she didn't realize that this was humiliating for Maki, an assassin who survived by putting up a barrier of stoicism and intimidation to keep herself from getting hurt. The thought of an assassin depending on her classmate to fix her undergarments was silly. The thought of an assassin blushing at the sight of another girl handling her undergarments was even sillier.

 “One of the metal hoops is broken,” Kirumi explained. “I have no way to weld this hoop, but I do believe I have a replacement. So, I will need to cut the strap and resew it around the replacement loop. Is that acceptable?” She paused, waiting for Maki to respond, but no response came. “If not, you could ask Miss Iruma to weld the hoop in the morning, although I do not know how willing she would be.”

 “No,” Maki replied, snapping out of her embarrassed haze. “You can cut it, as long as it'll be fixed in an hour.”

 Kirumi nodded again. “I can guarantee it will be finished by then.”

 Maki sighed. She was slightly relieved, but only slightly. At least, now, her bra would be fixed and she could train alongside Kaito and Shuichi without having to worry. Still, Kirumi was blocking the door, and she didn't know what more to say. Should she ask to leave? Or should she try to initiate conversation? If Miu or Kokichi caught her wandering the halls without a bra, they would certainly point it out to tease her. However, she wasn't sure how to make small talk with someone as intimidating as Kirumi. Maki had never been the type to enjoy small talk, anyway! So, why —?

 “If you would like to wait here while I work, you may take a seat on the bed. Otherwise, I will be done in half an hour,” Kirumi stated, interrupting the assassin’s train of thought. She still hadn't budged.

 Letting her impulses take control against her better judgement, Maki inhaled sharply. “I'll stay. I don't want to risk being seen…” Her blush returned. “You know.”

 “In that case, please make yourself comfortable.”

 The assassin watched in hesitant silence as Kirumi finally walked away from the door, passed the bed (and Maki herself), took a seat at her desk, and set Maki’s bra in front of her. Once the Ultimate Maid was finally seated, Maki decided to let her guard down enough to sit as well. However, the corner of Kirumi’s bed felt uncomfortably hard —

 Oh.

 Maki had been so distracted with watching Kirumi’s movements that she didn't notice the hardcover book beneath her rear. Startled, she sprung to her feet, and the book tumbled off the corner of the bed as a result of her sudden action.

 “Is everything okay?” the Ultimate Maid asked with a mild edge to her voice.

 Maki's face was burning now. This week really had _not_ been kind to her.

 “I accidentally sat on your book. Sorry,” she responded, forcing the words to leave her mouth despite her embarrassment.

 This was so stupid. She was only here because her bra hoop had snapped, and now she was making a fool of herself in front of one of the Ultimate Academy For Gifted Juveniles’ most respected students. All thanks to her stupid decision and a stupid book. If she had just left instead of deciding to stay in this damn room, alone with someone like Kirumi Tojo, this never would have happened. Now, Kirumi was probably irritated, but of course she wouldn't let it show through that impenetrable mask of hers.

 With an ugly grimace that served as a stark contrast to the pretty cherry tint on her cheeks, the Ultimate Assassin bent over to pick up the book that had fallen. As she returned it to its former position on the corner of the bed, she took a peek at the spine and binding. The title was seemed to imply criminal drama, and a silken black ribbon was placed about halfway through the pages. Maki wondered if Kirumi had taken so long to answer the door because she was engrossed in her reading.

 “Is the book damaged?” Kirumi questioned.

 The maid had been watching the whole time, Maki realized. Her bra had gone untouched from the moment Kirumi set it on the desk, and Kirumi had been waiting for Maki to actually take a seat. Or, most likely, she had just been worried about the book.

 “No, it's fine,” Maki huffed. “Why does it matter, anyway? All of the books from the library are Monokuma's, right?”

 Kirumi scowled for a brief second, but her face was once again stony and unreadable before Maki could attempt to memorize the expression.

 “That is irrelevant. We do not know who is behind our temporary imprisonment here, but — regardless of their identity — we should take extra care not to damage or tamper with any of the amenities that have been provided for us.” The maid paused. “It saddens me to see mishandled books, as well.”

 That's right. All of the students were being temporarily imprisoned here, mostly against their wills, or so Maki was forced to remind herself. Although she would never want to admit it, this “imprisonment” had been somewhat enjoyable, and it had benefited her in several ways. For one, she was no longer being forced to act as an assassin, even if this freedom was only temporary. Second off, she had already made two friends — good friends, she hoped. Thirdly, she was finally starting to feel a bit less like a killing machine and a bit more like an actual person. However, if anyone had any reason to _despise_ this ridiculous situation, it was Kirumi. She probably had more important issues to handle back home, or wherever she was from. For Kirumi Tojo, there was no break from her duties as a maid. From morning to night, she was cooking and cleaning and offering assistance to anyone who needed it, Maki included. Now, Kirumi certainly enjoyed her responsibilities as maid. There was no questioning that fact. But — when Maki really thought about it — there must have been someone or something outside of this dumb prison school that mattered more to Kirumi than a bunch of strange teenagers that she had just recently met. Someone or something important to her. Someone or something actually worth serving.

 Yet despite all this, the Ultimate Maid Kirumi Tojo was concerned about a book being mishandled. It wasn't even her own damn book.

 Maki had never felt more respect for someone her own age.

 “I guess,” Maki mumbled. “It's really fine, though. The book, I mean.”

 Kirumi nodded and opened her desk’s middle drawer. Apparently, she had already stocked the drawer with sewing materials, because her desktop was quickly covered with a cluster of various threads, needles, and a pair of dressmaker's scissors. Maki watched with undisguisable interest as the Ultimate Maid snipped away at the fabric loop of her bra, severing said loop and freeing the broken hoop. Somehow, watching Kirumi work in silence was mesmerizing.

 It didn't take long for Maki to realize that the silent staring, although enjoyable on the assassin's end, was probably starting to make Kirumi uncomfortable. Tearing her eyes away from the maid’s gloved hands, she racked her brain for something sensible to say.

 “I didn't know you liked to read,” Maki finally spoke.

 It was over a half a minute before Kirumi actually responded.

 “I have not yet shared that information with anyone in this school, so I would have been surprised if you _did_ know,” Kirumi said with a sort of lightness to her voice that contrasted her subtly sharp edge from earlier. “I rarely have time to read because of my duties, so the chance to sit and enjoy a novel from the library is admittedly nice.”

 So, even the Ultimate Maid could appreciate some down time every once in a while? Still, Maki found herself doubting that Kirumi was enjoying this senseless “reality television show” situation.

 “I don't really have much time to read either, but I remember reading a lot when I was younger… There were a lot of used books at the orphanage, but they were all tattered from being discarded…” Maki explained, feeling like she was mostly talking to herself. She had never really bothered to think about her childhood reading habits before. Now, waves of memories were crashing onto the shore of her conscious thoughts. It was an odd feeling. Not necessarily unpleasant, but definitely odd.

 “I see,” Kirumi mused. “May I ask what genre you favored as a child?”

 Maki was shocked. Kirumi Tojo had just asked a _personal question_ ! Had she asked _anyone_ a personal question since the moment she stepped foot on these academy grounds? Maki didn't think so. Unfortunately, her answer was probably going to be just as shocking, much to the assassin's embarrassment.

 “R-Romance, I think. I don't really remember much about the orphanage.”

 That was a lie. But it was a necessary one to prevent further, seemingly innocent questions.

 Kirumi laughed. It was light, graceful, and subtle — just like everything else the Ultimate Maid said and did — but it was a laugh, nonetheless. Maki felt her heartbeat quicken and her cheeks flush once again, but she couldn't think of an explanation for this phenomenon this time.

 “Romance is my least favorite genre, but to each their own,” Kirumi professed once her laughter had subsided. “However, it is somehow difficult to picture you engaged in a frivolous romance novel.”

 Maki felt as if her entire essence was about to melt into the floor from sheer embarrassment. It took all of her willpower to resist the habitual urge to ask Kirumi if she wanted to die. She wished she had never brought up the Ultimate Maid's reading habits in the first place, but her simple curiosity was still driving her mad — almost as mad as her embarrassment. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt genuinely interested in another human being’s personal interests and preferences. In fact, she didn't think she had ever been this interested in the commonalities of someone else's personal life. In many ways, it was frightening for someone as reserved and disconnected as Maki.

 She asked anyway.

 “I was a different person back then. I would never consider reading a ridiculous romance novel now.” Another lie. “But I think I have the right to ask _you_ a question now. What genre do _you_ like?”

 Kirumi smiled and pursed her lips. She was sewing now, Maki noticed, but she seemed to be more focused on her thoughts than the task in front of her. It was as if her fingers were on autopilot and needed no further instruction from the maid’s preoccupied mind.

 “Mystery,” Kirumi finally responded. “Although, I specifically enjoy the subcategory of political mysteries. Fiction, of course.”

 Maki nodded. She should have expected as much. Of course someone as intelligent as Kirumi would enjoy something complicated like political mysteries.

 “I never really understood politics,” the assassin confessed.

 This time, Kirumi's reply came as quickly as her fingers worked with the needle. “A detailed understanding of both political science and political theory is necessary to uphold a portion of my duties as a maid. However, that is not the only reason I enjoy political mysteries.”

 Maki waited in silence for Kirumi to continue. The maid did not look up from her work for even a second, but she seemed to notice that the assassin was waiting to hear more from her without needing to lift her eyes. So, Kirumi continued to speak.

 “The extent to which fictional political leaders will act to justify and escape the consequences of their crimes fascinates me. Oftentimes, in these novels, the criminals will shift the guilt of their actions onto a…” The maid hesitated, seemingly reconsidering her words. “...onto an assassin or a political partner, refusing to take the blame. In some works of fiction, these leaders will die without confessing guilt over their own crime. The determination displayed by such criminals is… admirable, if I am to be completely honest.”

 The Ultimate Assassin grit her teeth and clenched her fists. Kirumi was wrong. She was wrong. She was wrong. _She was wrong._

 “There's nothing glamorous about using people like assassins to do your dirty work. It's just a dumb part of life that you can't change, like throwing your future away for someone who's already dead,” Maki bit out, the embers of her eyes aglow with anger. It was only after the words had left her mouth that she realized she had revealed far too much. Bowing her head in shame, all she could do was hope that the Ultimate Maid wouldn't hold her bitter outburst against her.

 Fortunately, Kirumi was kind.

 “My apologies, Miss Harukawa. I believe I misphrased my words. I did not mean to imply that there is anything honorable about the solitary action of using others. I simply meant to express my admiration for those who are undaunted in accomplishing a task, no matter the loss.” Another contemplative pause. “That includes individuals such as you, of course.”

 Maki's heart felt as if it had been struck with a fifty caliber bullet. In less than a second, her entire face and her ears had heated up, probably matching the color of her sailor blouse. Was that a sincere compliment from Kirumi Tojo? That _was_ a compliment, right?

 “M-Me?” she stuttered, at a loss for words of gratitude. “What do you know about me to make that kind of claim?”

 Kirumi sighed and smiled, still entirely focused on the task in front of her. She was almost finished resewing the fabric loop, now.

 “I do not know enough about you to base my assumption on conclusive evidence, I confess,” the Ultimate Maid began. “However, it is quite obvious to me that you are a determined person who has overcome many trials for a particular goal. If I am wrong, do forgive me.”

 Maki tugged on her pigtails in embarrassment. “N-No, that's right. I guess. But… my goal is meaningless, now…” Staring at the carpet dejectedly, she could feel a miserable mood approaching like an incoming storm cloud as a result of her self-reminder.

 Kirumi paused her work, setting her needle and thread onto the desk beneath her palms.

 “No. I do not believe there is such a thing as a meaningless goal. Even if it is no longer relevant to anyone else, it still remains important to you, does it not?”

 The assassin slowly nodded. Deep down, she knew that Kirumi was right, but she was hesitant to agree.

 “So, it is not meaningless, then. If my work as a maid has taught me anything, it is that every goal has some importance. Even now, there are many duties waiting for me in the outside world that I consider much more important than my duties within the confines of this academy. However, by focusing on my goal to properly serve you and the other fourteen students imprisoned here, I do not feel as if my time here is a waste,” the maid explained.

 The Ultimate Assassin was still blushing. Damn Kirumi’s sensibly kind explanations for everything. Damn her confidence, damn her constantly unreadable expression, and damn the way she made Maki feel as if her motivation and presence actually had some value. It had rendered Maki nearly speechless, and she found herself overthinking every potential response.

 It was the sound of scissors snipping that snapped the assassin out of her thoughts. Seconds later, Kirumi's scissors were back to their original location in the middle drawer, and Kirumi was standing a few feet away from Maki, bra in hand. Maki had just lost her chance to respond.

 “Here, Miss Harukawa. The hoop is fully functional now.” Kirumi extended her arm slightly, offering the bra back to its owner. Cursing herself for taking so long to think, the assassin stood and took the bra from Kirumi. This exchange perfectly mirrored their exchange from half an hour ago, especially because Maki now relished the brief feeling of her fingers touching Kirumi's gloved palm.

 “Thank you, Tojo,” Maki finally heaved with a barely audible voice.

 “There is no need to thank me for my duties, as I have said before. If you ever require my services again, please do not hesitate to ask.”

 “No, that's not what I meant. Thank you for talking to me about my goals and stuff,” Maki stammered. Maybe the assassin was just imagining it, but Kirumi’s face seemed to betray a sense of surprise for a quick moment. “N-Nevermind. It's dumb.”

 The Ultimate Maid shook her head. “In that case, I should be the one thanking you, Miss Harukawa. Our conversation was pleasant, and it distracted me from dwelling on… unpleasant thoughts.”

 “About the outside world…?” Maki blurted.

 “Yes,” Kirumi answered. “Do not worry. I am simply overthinking everything, I assure you.” The assassin internally noted that Kirumi seemed to be reassuring herself more than anything. “Have a good night, Miss Harukawa. Enjoy your training.”

 Maki nodded and started to back up. “Yeah, I will. Goodnight, Tojo.”

 Forcing herself to look away from the Ultimate Maid, Maki turned around and reached for the doorknob. For some unknown reason, she was reluctant to leave, but there was no reason to stay now that her bra had been repaired. Kaito and Shuichi were waiting for her, anyway. As she twisted the knob and stepped out into the drafty dormitory hall, the only thing on her mind was the lightness of Kirumi's smile and the clarity of Kirumi's voice.

* * *

 Maki hadn't thought that Kaito or Shuichi would have been watching her do her nightly 100 push-ups when she started to space out. For the past several days, those two had been so damn absorbed with each other's presence that she didn't think they would even notice if the school was suddenly attacked by a robot gone rogue. She had been wrong, though. Very wrong.

 “Hey, ya okay there, Maki Roll? Ya look kinda out of it!”

 Maki's arms nearly gave out in shock. Fortunately for the assassin, she was able to prevent a humiliating faceplant by locking her joints. So, she was left in a ridiculously angled plank position while she tried to think of a reasonable answer to Kaito’s question. I mean, what was she going to say? How was she supposed to explain that she was replaying a stupid conversation about novels and personal goals in her mind over and over and over again?

 Instead of giving a proper answer, she settled for an old reflex.

 “Do you want to die, Momota?”

 “Oi, I'm just looking out for my sidekick. That's my job, yanno?!” the Ultimate Astronaut retorted with a playfully offended expression. He waved his hands for emphasis, jogging around the wisteria blossoms with Shuchi tagging close behind him.

 “H-He _is_ right,” the Ultimate Detective affirmed, albeit with obvious apprehension. He panted as he struggled to keep up with the idiot in front of him. “You've been slower than usual tonight, and you look like you have a fever.”

 The Ultimate Assassin snorted. “Ridiculous. I'm sure it's the light.”

 She was about to return to her push-ups, but Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Stars, was not going to take a half-assed dismissal.

 The wannabe astronaut made an odd humming noise and abruptly stopped running, causing Shuichi to bump into him and fall on his rear. Kaito laughed and offered a helping hand to the detective (who accepted his help and offered an embarrassed chuckle in return). Once the pair’s laughter had faded and Shuichi’s embarrassed blush was no longer visible under the moonlight, Kaito cleared his throat and grinned.

 “If I didn't know any better, I'd say you have a crush on someone, Maki Roll.”

 Maki’s face definitely smacked the ground this time. Apparently, grass did _not_ taste good, and it didn't feel very nice when her face was smashed into it, either.

 Kaito was laughing again, but all Shuichi could do was squeak in surprise. Seconds later, Maki was back on her feet with a fistful of Kaito's shirt. Now, Shuichi was the one laughing again, much to the Ultimate Astronaut's embarrassment.

 “Seriously, do you want to die?!” she yelled, tugging on Kaito's shirt for emphasis.

 “I-I dunno, I think Shuichi w-would be pretty sad if I died! R-Right, bro?” the wannabe astronaut joked in an attempt to hide his fear. 

 Shuichi retorted through his continued laughter, “I don't know, Kaito. You just called me 'bro'. I can't believe you would friendzone me like that.”

 Damn. Being with Kaito really had helped the anxious detective become more confident around his friends, hadn't it?

 “SHUICHI!!” Kaito cried in humorous exasperation.

 Resisting the urge to smile, Maki unhanded the Ultimate Astronaut and stepped backwards with a forced sigh. Kaito really was something. A pain in the ass, that is.

 “Fucking finally,” Kaito chuckled nervously, tugging on the bottom hem of his shirt to adjust it. “No thanks for the support, _Shuichi_.” He teasingly glared at the boy standing beside him.

 “Y-You’re welcome,” Shuichi attempted to tease back. He had been trying to seem casual and collected, but when Kaito took his hand, he let out a tiny gasp and flushed scarlet.

 The assassin rolled her eyes. “Gross.”

 Kaito laughed. _Again._ “I think you're just jealous of our manly passion for each other.” Shuichi held back a gag, but the future space explorer didn't seem to notice. Why the hell did he have to be like that? “So, who's the lucky guy or girl, huh?”

 Maki blushed and bit her bottom lip. There was no point in hiding it, really. Once Kaito formed an idea in that stubborn head of his, he would never let it go. Not in a million light years, or whatever that was supposed to mean. And, really, what was the worst that could happen? That Kaito and Shuichi would tease her about it? Maki trusted her friends. They were both stupid and annoying and altogether unbearable sometimes, but they had good hearts.

 “Tojo. I th-think I like Kirumi Tojo.”

**Author's Note:**

> if anyone wants to see more saimota, makirumi, tenmiko, and/or keeruma in this universe, please tell me in the comments! thank you for reading!


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